seek

verb

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\ ˈsēk

sought\ ˈsȯt

\; seeking

Definition of seek

transitive verb

1 : to resort to : go to

2a : to go in search of : look for

b : to try to discover

3 : to ask for : request seeks advice

4 : to try to acquire or gain : aim at seek fame

5 : to make an attempt : try —used with to and an infinitivegovernments … seek to keep the bulk of their people contented— D. M. Potter

intransitive verb

1 : to make a search or inquiry

2a : to be sought

b : to be lacking in critical judgment … they were sadly to seek — The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Other Words from seek Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about seek

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Examples of seek in a Sentence

The office is seeking a salesperson. The prince is seeking a wife. Snakes seek the sun to warm their bodies. You should visit your doctor and seek his advice. You should seek medical help immediately if you experience any chest pain or shortness of breath. The church is seeking donations. He sought revenge for his son's murder. During the war, she sought asylum in Spain. They sought refuge in Canada. The company is seeking new ways to improve service.

Recent Examples on the Web That court could also seek to chip away at parts of the agency’s climate authority, some experts say. — Abby Smith, Washington Examiner, "Biden climate ambitions for EPA hamstrung by conservative Supreme Court," 13 Nov. 2020 China and 14 other Asia-Pacific nations seek to sign a trade deal this weekend that will knit their economies closer together—the second pact covering large swaths of the region whose signatories don’t include the U.S. — Jon Emont, WSJ, "Asia-Pacific Countries Push to Sign China-Backed Trade Megadeal," 13 Nov. 2020 If the deadline comes and goes without an extension, court relief or an agreement between the company and the government, Mir said the Justice Department would have to go to court and seek enforcement of the divestiture order. — Kurt Wagner, Bloomberg.com, "TikTok Sale Deadline Hits With ByteDance Desperate for Time," 12 Nov. 2020 Society is a siren, forever tempting us to forsake our tasks and seek the smaller goods of reputation and status. — Corey Robin, The New Yorker, "The Professor and the Politician," 12 Nov. 2020 In the eyes of Clayton-Taylor and Kaufmann, that confidence and ambition from youth in Louisville is what Justice Now will seek to nurture and utilize in order to improve the lives of many more community members. — Billy Kobin, The Courier-Journal, "'Justice Now': JCPS learning hubs empower students to solve systemic issues in Louisville," 12 Nov. 2020 As part of her stay-at-home advisory, Lightfoot is encouraging residents not to leave their homes except to work, attend school, seek medical care, shop for groceries or pick up takeout food. — Gregory Pratt, chicagotribune.com, "Starting Monday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot imposing 10-person limit on weddings, funerals and other events, urges people to stay home as COVID-19 cases spike," 12 Nov. 2020 If an extension hasn’t already been granted, Mir said the Justice Department would have to go to court and seek enforcement of the divestiture order. — David Mclaughlin, Fortune, "TikTok sale deadline pushed back," 12 Nov. 2020 Sankey’s directive was that Freeze needed to go away for a while and seek career opportunities outside the SEC. — John Talty | Jtalty@al.com, al, "Could Hugh Freeze soon be back in the SEC?," 12 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'seek.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

16 Nov 2020

Cite this Entry

“Seek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seek. Accessed 26 Nov. 2020.

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More Definitions for seek

seek

verb

English Language Learners Definition of seek

somewhat formal

: to search for (someone or something) : to try to find (someone or something)

: to ask for (help, advice, etc.)

: to try to get or achieve (something)

See the full definition for seek in the English Language Learners Dictionary

seek

verb

\ ˈsēk

sought\ ˈsȯt \; seeking

Kids Definition of seek

1 : to try to find seek help … foxes called to each other, seeking again their lifelong mates.— Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain

2 : to try to win or get He sought revenge.

3 : to make an attempt Doctors are seeking to find a cure.

Choose the Right Synonym for seek

seek, search, and hunt mean to look for something. seek may be used in looking for either material or mental things. She's always seeking new friends. I seek the truth. search is used when looking for something in a very careful, thorough way. We searched all over the house for the letter. hunt is used for a long pursuit. I hunted all day for the right present.